Coating machine



' Feb. 9, 1937. .1. A. PAASCHE COATING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jns fl. Illa/507w,

' J. A. PAASCHE 'COATING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2-;

Feb. 9," 1937.

' g in a new and improved machine of this nature,.a'

n t d Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED, STATES PATENT oFf-Flcs #069,845 ooa'rmo MACHINE Jens A. Paa sche, Wilmette, m. I Application February 2, 1933, Serial No." 654,816

i 21 Claims.

The invention relates generally. to coating machines and more particularly to" a machine for automatically applying coatings of material to a. succession of articles. v I I Ageneral object is to provide a simple machine of this nature which involves few structural parts; is automatic and efiicient in operation, and in which waste of coating material is practicall eliminated. Another object is to providev a novel machine for applying a coat of materiat'to an article which embodies mechanism for eifective relative movement of the article past a coat-applying device, during which movement said'device is al-' ways directed toward said article to apply coating material most effectively thereto. f

Another object of the invention is to provide,

device for applying a coat of material tojan ar-. ticle, said device being mounted for reciprocatory or oscillatory movement to follow an articleas it passes thereby, and means for actuating the device aslong' as the article. and device are moving together. i v

In conjunction with the foregoing, anotherobjept is to provide a. simple adjusting meanslfor adapting the operation of the coating device for articles of different kinds and dimensions.

More specifically stated, an object is to provide a novel machine embodying means for mounting an article on a moving table or conveyer for independent spinning movement relative thereto which is produced=as the article movesv into a,

' coat-receiving position at which avcoating device is normally arranged so as to be directed toward thearticle'as it moves into said position, and operation-controlling means for automatically actiiating said device substantially as the article begins to spin and for moving the actuated device according to the conveyed movement of the'spin ning article until the article has been completely coated.

Still another object is to provide a novel means c for reclaiming unused material and returning it to the source of supply for subsequent use.

More specifically stated an object is to provide a reservoir for a supply of material, an auxiliary collecting reservoir located to receive excess or unused material, and means acting positively to return collected material from the auxiliary to the supply reservoir.

Another object is to provide a novel articlesupportingmeans which is easily adjustable to accommodate diiTerent articles. I

Other objects and advantages will become apmeans for another coating deviceshowing the v parts in two positions.

' Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary transverse sections through the housing in which the coating operation is'p'erformed and aretaken respectively along the lines 5-5 and 6-43 of .Fig. 1. 3

Fig. 7 is a detail in elevation of the article-supporting assembly. l y a. i i

Fig. 8 isa fragmentary transverse section similar to thesections shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and is taken on the line 8-8 ofFig. 1. p

In Figs. 5; 6, and 8 mechanism appearing in the background has been omitted for the sake of clarity. I

While] the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I

have shown in the drawings and will herein describe indetail the preferred embodiment, butit' is to be understood that I .do notthereby intend to'limit the invention tothe specific form-dis closed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit to p and scope, of the invention as .expressed in the appended claims.

The features of the invention are illustrated as being embodied in a machine which is generally similar'to that described in my copending application Serial No. 523,393, filed March 18, 1931. Such a machine includes a circular. table or conveyer l0 which is supported on a vertical axis and is driven in any suitable manner. About the periphery of the table is a series of members generally designated II for supporting articles or objects to be coated and one preferred form of such member is illustrated inFlg. ,7. Each of these members comprises a spindle i2 which is journaled in a bushing or bearing I3 affixed to the table. Above the table surface the bearing and a major portion ofthe spindle are enclosed by a removable protective casing ll through the upper end of whichthe spindle ex- I tends. v

A suitable article holder l5' adapted to support'the object to be coated is detachably carried on the upper end of the spindle. In the present embodiment, a preferred form of an argaging ends. and each pair extends througha suitable oval-- ticle holder, which is adius ble to accommodate articles of various dimensions and shapes, is shown as comprising four arms I. of semi-circular cross section having upturned, articleen- The arms are arranged in pairs shaped aperture II in asupporting stud ll. The apertures H for each pair of arms are disposed at substantially right angles so that each pair of arms is likewise'disposed the other pair. The apertures II are axially spaced and are connected by an axial bore in which a pin H is slidably mounted. One end of the stud is fashioned to fit upon the spindle l2 while the other end is externally screw-threaded to receive a nut I9 which may be screwed ina V with one of the pairs of arms I8, thereby moving pin" H tobind the other pair of arms securely in" Thus, both pairs of arms may be clamped.

wardly of the stud-into engagement paramn or, in general, of a material which is fluid by heat, improved results may beobtained if the articles are preheated prior to application of the material thereto. For this. purpose, a compartment 20 encloses a large portion of the periphery of the table and has aheating unit 2| therein. The heating compartment preferably extends from a point adjacent to the loading station A to" what maybe termed. the coating station B, which latter-station is deflnedby a casing 22 considerably larger than the compartment 20' and communicating therewith. Thus, as the articles are placed on the successive spindles at t the station A, the table will convey them through the compartment 20 where the articles are preheated before they pass to the coating station B.

-The walls of the casing 22'a're preferably insulated as at 23 and the casing includes one or more appropriately located inspection doors, 24. Preferably an-exhaust conduit 25 communicates with the casing. Within the casing and beyond the periphery of the table II is an elongated supply reservoir for coating material, said reservoir comprising a bottom wall 2i,'inner side wall 21, outer side: wall 28, and end walls (not shown). Spaced outwardly from the outer side wall 28 is a false wall 29 providing a small com- I partment 30. Heating elements It and 32, preferably of the resistance wire type, extend along the wall 29 and bottom 26 respectively, said elements having -amp'lecapacity to heatthe supply reservoir, thesmall chamber 30 and the interior of casing 22f to required temperaturea.

Within the casing 22 is mounted a pair of pneumatically operated and pneumatically controlled coat-applying or spray devices a and I4 preferably of the type shown in my said copending application andarranged so that one. device, in this instance the device 33, coats'th'e article internally while the other deviceu appiies thev external coat. The coating devicejlfis accordingly directed downwardly from an upper portion of the casing across the axis and toward one edge mounted in a bracket 38 whichis fixed to a staa right angles to tional movementis imparted thereto during the in applying coats of pressed air supply, and an outlet to "which the the spindlejand a pinion-II fixed to the spindle.

portion of the article (as is adjustably supported in that position by a rod tionary part such as the wall ofthe casing.

The material inlet to the device 33 is connected through aconduit 31 with the liquid material 30 5 inthe supply reservoir and the air intake 39 communicates through a conduit 40 with a source of compressed air (not shown). The air conduit 40 passes into the casing through the small compartment 3. where the conduitmay be bent uponitself a number of times, as shown at ,to thor-fl oughly preheat the air before it passes to the coating device.

,It is preferred that the device a be actuated only while an object to be coated is within the effective range thereof so that wasted material is minimized. Inorder torcompleteiy coat the in-; terior of the article, a spinning orrapid rotaeoating operation. To this end, as shown in Figs.

3, 4, and 5, astationary and horizontallyhisposed plate v42 is supported in a position underlying the peripheral edge -of the table it. atone side of the path of travel of the spindles-l2 an elongated rack" is pivoted, as at, to the plate 2 '42. A spring", connected with one end ofithe rack 42 and'with the plate 42, exerts a force normallyurgingthe 'rack'into a position angular with respecttothe path of travel of the spindle andv extending therea'cross, limited by 'ajsuitable stop"; 0n the opposite side of the path of travel, of the spindles, the plate, 42 supportsan air control valve 41 having] an air inlet '48,,leadlng from the source of com air conduit 40 is" connected. A valve operator 5. is arranged for. actuation by a cam arm SI which is pivotally supported, as at I2, upon a stationary partllof the valve assembly, and extends across the path of spindle travel. The parts are' 'are ranged so that the camarmll overlies the rack 43. Reference is here made to my copendinglapplication Serial No. 523,393 flied March 18,1931, in which are describedand covered certain generic features of the present structure.

Referring to Fig. '1; the spindle l2-proieets downwardlybelow the table it and the lower part of the spindle beyond the bushing it carries [an anti-friction roller 64, rotatable with respect to This arrangement so disposes the anti-friction roller 54 and pinion" that, as the, spindle moves. withfthe table, the cam arm" and 'rack'" are respectively engaged thereby. Thus, the lower part ofthe spindle serves as a projection, the movement of which produces operation of the valve 41 in actuation-of the coating device. At approximately the same-time, or just prior thereto, engagement of the pinion and rackocours to impart a rotary or spinning movement to the spindle and article supported thereby. The rotationor spinning of thearticle while the-inthis position being 0' terior is sprayed causes theparaflln to accumulate in the corners thereby forming a heavier/coat where it is most needed. Y

The relationship of the parts in their normally .idle position, in {which the coating device is inactive, is shown'in Fig.1- 3, while the positions assumed by the parts in, operation of the device 23 and .rotation of the spindle is shown in Fig.4. 7

The normally angular, position'oi','the rack 43 across the path of travel of the spindles definitely produces a proper'engagement of the pinioniwi'th the teeth on the rack whichis maintained by the so jammed that rotation thereof is impossible, thespring 45 will permit the rack 43 to be moved out of engagement with the pinion, thereby elimimating the possibility of breakage of the parts;

It is preferred to supportthe external coat-applying device 34 fo'r'following movement with rebe coated the device will beadjusted so that the spray is directed upwardly to coat both the bottom and the side walls.

The shaft 5'l is journalled for movement in an upright tubular sleeve 58 which is stationary with a supporting member 59.

The shaft 51 extends through the sleeve and at the upper and lower ends of the sleeves are collars B0 and 6|, respectively; which are rigidly'yet adjustably fixed to the shaft. Within the sleeve and embracing the shaft 51 is a coil spring 62,

one end of whichis affixed to one of the collars,-

in this instance the upper collar 60, the other end of the spring being secured to the sleeve or other stationary part.

Above the collar Bfiis a hub 63 (Figs. 2 and 6) which may be adjustably secured as by a set screw 64 to the shaft 51 and has a radially extending tubular boss .65 thereon. A rod or arm $6 is re-' ceivable in the bore of said bossand may be adjustably secured therein through a set screw 61 to vary the overall length of the arm and boss. The arrangement of parts is such that the outer end of the arm 66 extends into the path of movement of the projections on the conveyer provided by the anti-friction rollers 54 on the spindles. The spring'62 is arranged to exert a force tending to move said shaft and said arm in a direction contrary to the movement of said spindles or, as the device is illustrated in Fig. 2,-in a clockwise direction. The collar 6| on the bottom end of. the shaft 51 carries a stopmeans 68 engageable with a stationary. part for limiting the spring urged rotational movement of the shaft. The stop means therefore defines the normal or idle position of the shaft'a'nd its associated parts.

The coating device 34 has a material supply conduit 69 communicating with the material in also enters the casing 22 through the air pre heating compartment 30 (as shown in-Figlfi) For controlling the actuation of the coating device 34, a valve and cam mechanism 1| -(Fig. 2) substantially similar to the mechanism previously described andshown in Fig. 3 is provided. Rotation of the spindle is likewise accomplished as has been previously described by a rack 12. It is preferred, however, in order to avoid complicating the structure to dispose the valve mechanism H so that itsassociated cam engages a spindle in the rear of or following that spindle which carries the object being coated.

In adjusting the coating; device 34 for proper operation. the arm 66 is' set with respect to the boss 65 so that the duration'of' engagement be tween the arm 66 and the spindle continue'sgfor j at least one complete rotation of the spindle.-

The coating device is properly adjusted relative to the shaft 51 so that in the idle position-of the supply reservoir and an air conduit'lll whichthe shaft, the sprayfrom said device will be directed toward the position assumed by the vertical center line of. the article at the instant the spindle and arm 66 engage. The rack 72 is so disposed as to engage the pinion for rotation of the spindle upon or immediately prior to; engagement of the spindle and arm. The ace. vtuating cam arm of the valve operating mecha-.

nism H is fashioned to operate the valve in actuation of 1 the coating .device 34 substantially simultaneously with the engagement between the spindle and arm and to discontinue operation of the valve upon release of the engagement be= tween the spindle and arm 66.. 7

Due to these several relationships, as an a ticle is moved-into the effective. range of the 63 is broken by the continuous movement of the spindle with the table, the actuation of the coat-- ing device is stopped as disengagement occurs whereupon the spring .62 will return the shaft and parts associated therewith to their normally idle position thereby completing one cycle of operation.

In order to avoid waste of excess material, an auxiliary reservoir 13 is provided which is lo cated' above the table and opposite to the supply reservoir. The adjacent walls'of the supply and auxiliary reservoirs are arranged to define therebetween a narrow path through which the spindles pass. Hence, substantially all of the material which is not applied to the articles by the coating devices 33 and 34 will be caught in one or the other ofsald reservoirs. Provision is made for the return of excess material from the auxiliary reservoir 13 to the supply reservoir and this means, as shown in Fig. 8, may consist of air-automatic suction device 14 arranged to draw excess fluid from the auxiliary reservoir 13 through a'conduit 15 for return to the supply reservoir. Actuating air for the suction device I4 is delivered thereto through a conduit 15. Preferably, the suction device is intermittentlyactuated, 'which result may be obtained by suitably connectingthe conduit 15 with the the element 3! so that the liquid will reach the a supply reservoir at a proper temperature.

'In the operation :of the machine, the articles are placed upon the spindles at the loading station A, whereupon the movement of the conveyor able I ilcarries the. articles through the preheating compartment 28 to the spraying station .B; As the articles pass through the spraying station, the internal surface of the articles will be successively rotated and coated by the synchronized operation of coating device 33. Subsequently, the articles pass into the effective spindles being arranged on th'eir upper ends for receiving the articles and having-contactmeans like having a plurality of. article carrying memrangeof coating device." which. during its actuation, moves with the article while directing its spray of coating materialmost eilectively thereagainst. In this manner,v articles are conveyed s continuously through the machine without pause. After the articles have been coated they may beengaged. by automatic unloading ,means 11 comprising a'palr of arms supported in-the path of movement oi the articles for successive engagement therewith to eject the articles into a chute II orthe like. a Y I claim as my invention: v 1,4 coating machine for applying internal and external ,parailin coats-to a cup-like object- 15 comprising, in combination, a revolving table having a' plurality of substantially equidistantly spaced spindles thereonymeans on said spindles for supporting articles to be-coated, a-housing through which said spindles are successively con- 20 veyed, a spraying device mounted in saidvhousing todirect a 'sprayof parailin into thew-interior: of the object asit passes through thejeiiective range of said device, means for actuatingsaid device during such passage, means for. intermittently rotating said spindle during said device, a second spraying device in 'said housing; a support therefor including an oscillatory shaft arm fixed" thereto for engagement with a passing spindle wherebyto ing. to movement of'said table, a part on said spindles for engagement bysaid arm and adapted during the swinging movement thereoLJmeans for rotating the spindle toward which'said 'sec- .ond device is directed during the. swinging move- 7 taining a paramn supply for both'oi' said devices. ,7-

' 2. Acoating'machine for applying internal and external paraflln coats to an obiect'comprising,

rality of spindles thereon; meanson said spindles for'vsupporting articles to be a heated housing through which said spindles pass includstituting a coating station, means located in said housing at said station'for'applying an internal paraflin coat to an article, a second coat appLving means in saidhousing mounted for intermittent movement with said table and including apart successive engagement with freely rotatable parts moves with said table and including amember intermittently actuated by engagementflwithsaid f freely rotatable parts on said spindles.

3; A machine for applying a material whichis fluid by heat toa surface of an object comprising,

in combination, a housing having areservoir therein and means for heating theinterior'of I said housing a and the contents of said :reservoir. a moving conveyor for objects to be coated having a, series of spindles thereon for supporting said 7 objects for movement through said-housing, said near their lower; ends; a spraying device dis-' posed in said housing vto coat objects passing thereby a support ior'said device including an.

swing said shaft and said second device acco'rdment of the device, and a common reservoir con- I voir to said supply reservoir connected for operin combination, a revolving table t having a plu ing aheated terminal portion near one end con-- extending to a pointadiacent tosaidtable for oscillatory shaftahavinl resilient means 10!! ing said shaft toward a starting. position, rigidwith said shaft and successively engageabie with'said contact means ,0! saidspindies for m t tating, .saidf shalt upon eachi' engagement away 5 1" -tion of;.a;movingconveyer.fnr; a of is and having aseries of projections standard having an oscillatory'shaft partconnected withs'aid shaftjand extendinginto the pathjo'fftravelofsaidproiections for a ment therewith in movement of said shaftp'a igoll I coating device onsaid shaft position reached by an object u a pr ie n i messe jhrzsaid: part. 7

means for actuating said during the movement such engagemenh means for returningi lsaid shaft to its original po tion 5. Ina coatingzmachine thecombinationof a" coating chamber having acoa'tingdcvicetherein;

Y a :eonveyer traversing the lower portion'of said 3 chamber past said device and-havlng;.meansfon. the upper surface o be coated'a supp y r er oir": M rm rial on oneside of theip'athx'of travel of saidv articies a'sjurplus reservoiron 'theother j side vof said path, means for intermittently actuating. said coating device, a suction device a for conducting material from said surplus reseration by said last mentioned means.

6. 'A device for supporting, articles tobe treated comprising armember arrangedi'or connection with a conveying mechanism. and hav'ing' trans verse passagestherein disposed with specttoeach other and. a bore extending b tween said passagea; article supporting arms eatending through said passages. a P in said bore, and a single element' screw threaded e -j gagement with said member into engageme with thearms in one passage to'exert through said pin a binding force on mi s?! comprising a member tor-museum with a conveying and 1 verse passages disposedawith;

respect to -each other and, spore extending be tween said passages. ex I 60 tending into each passage opposite sides. thereof to provides pair claims in eachl fl.

" i m w tore and main for engagement withjsaidarms; saidarms having complementary 65 ative rotation therebetweenr and a single elei ment having screw engagement with said member'rto-force'saidgilrfst mentioned element into binding with said arms;

a An apmtua material omehffi- 7 fluid. by he t to-thejsurho'e or anobiect. com-1 1 1 prising -in'combinationpa revolvingtableor the" bers thereon at its periphery a housing overia positions upon of said engagementjand adjustable stop means fordeflningsaid original;

said article carrying members are successively carried, a pneumatically actuated spraying de-" vice adjacent the path of movement of said article carrying members andadapted to coat articles passing thereby, a reservoir within said housing at one sidev of the path of said article carrying members, a chamber beside said reservoir and spaced from the path of said article carrying means by the 'width of said reservoir, a

conduit for delivering air under pressure to said pneumatically actuated device and passing through said chamber, and heating elements below said reservoir and at the side of said chamber to heat said material and to preheat the air passing through said conduit.

9. In an article coating machine, a pneumati cally actuatedspraying device adjacent the path v of movement of a plurality of article carrying members mounted on conveying means, means for substantially adjusting said device I relative to said carrying members, a'reservoir adjacent the path of movement of said article carrying members and below said device,'and a flexible conduit attached atone end to said device and having its other end trailing in said reservoir,

whereby said device may be freely moved without disturbing theliquid supply thereto.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, an article supporting spindle rotatably mounted in upright position on a conveying member, a portion of said spindle being above said conveying member and adapted tocarry an article,

a pneumatically actuated sprayingdevice mounted adjacent the path of movement of said spindle and adapted to spray an article carried thereby,- the lower part of,.said .spindle extending below said conveying device, means for delivering com pressed air to said spraying device and including a normally closed valve positioned adjacent the path of movement of the lower part of said spindle, an actuator carnarm associatedwith said valve and'extending diagonally into the path of movement of said spindle, means on said spindle for engagement with said cam arm and adapted to force the same out of the path of said'spindle' whereby to open said valve and permit compressed air to be delivered tosaid spraying device, and a pivotally mounted rack opposite to said cam arm and having one end engaged by a" spring to urge the other end into proximate relationship with the free end of said cam arm in the path of said spindle, and a pinion rigidly secured to the lower part of the spindle and engageable with the rack substantially simultaneously as said cam arm is engaged by the spindle, whereby said spindle is rotatably driven and said spraying device is actuated to coat an article car-- having means extending into the path of travel of the lower part of said spindles for engagement with said rollers in the movement of said shaft, a coating device on said shaft directed toward the position reached by an object substantially as said roller is engaged by said means, and a rack mounted in the path of movement of said-spin dles adjacent said means and adapted to engage with said pinion at'substantially the same time as said means engages with said roller whereby to rotate said spindles.

12 In an article coating machine, the combination of amoving conveyer having a series of J rotatable spindlesthereon, said spindles including a part above said conveyer and adapted to support the articles to be coated and apart below said conveyer and having'a rigidly secured pinion and a freely rotating :atnti-frictiorrroller,

an oscillatory shaft-mounted adjacent said conveyer and having means extending into the" path of travel of the lower part of said spindles for engagement with said rollers in the movement of said shaft, a coating device on said shaft directed .toward the position-reached by an object substarltially as said rolleris engagedby said means,

a rack" mounted in the path of movement of said; I

spindles adjacent said means and adapted to engage with said pinion at substantially the same time as said means engages with said roller whereby to rotate said spindles, and'operating means for actuating said device during the move'- ment thereof resulting from movement of said shaft and including-a valve having a cam arm actuating the same disposed in the path-of move ment of said'spindles and engageable with the is moved thereby; q 13. A coating machine --for'applying internal friction rollers thereon-as each successive spindle.

and external paraflin coats to an object'comprising, in combination, a rotatably v driven tablehaving a plurality of spindles thereon, article'supporting means on said spindles, means mounted over apart of said'tableand' defining a housing through which said-article supporting-means are transported as said spindles are conveyed by rotation-of said table, a bottom on said housing arranged to define a narrow passage for the spindles below said article supporting means. but. i above the table, means in said housing for apply-.

ing a coatof paraflin to the interior of acup-' like object as said object is uninterruptedly con-- veyed past said means,'a sprayingdevice, a support therefor including an oscillatory shaft; in-

terengageable means below said housing on said shaft and-table operable periodically to'swing said shaft as a spindle moves past said spraying de vice, said spraying device being connected to said shaft and directed toward an object on the passing spindle throughout such swinging movement, means for actuating said spraying device while,

it is so directed, and means for, intermittently rotatingthe passing spindle during the swinging 14. In an article coating machine, thecombination df a moving conveyer havinga series of rotatable spindles thereon, saidspindles in-,

cluding a part above said conveyer and "adapted to support the articles to, be coated and apart M below said-conveyer and having-'rigidlysecured engagement means and anti-friction means, an oscillatoryshaft mounted adjacent saidconveyer and having protruding means extending into the path oftravel of the lower part of said spindles for engagement with said anti-friction meansin the movement of said shaft,'a coatingdeviceon said shaft directed toward the position reached by an object substantially as said anti-friction means is engaged by said protruding; means, means mounted in thepath of movementv of said spindles adjacent said shaft and adapted for con I tact with said engagement means at substantially the same time as said protruding means en-1 55 movement and actuation of said spraying device. r

ward the object, operating means for actuating contacted by said arm and permitting free relative movement between the arm and saidsupports during such engagement, a coating device on said shaft directed toward the position reached by an objectsubstantiaily as its support is engaged by said arm, means for rotating the support while said coating device is directed tosaid device during the movement thereof resulting from such engagement, and 'means for returning said shaft to its original position upon release from said engagement.

JENS A. PA ASCHE. 

